Wheat Free, Gluten Free; You’ve heard it by now. All of these people who have allergies to wheat and sensitivities to gluten. The extreme of gluten sensitivities being celiac disease.

The celiac condition makes gluten intolerable to the person affected by it. When a person with gluten sensitivity is exposed to gliadin, a gluten protein, a set of reactions is set in motion, leading to inflammation of the small bowel; This leads to a condition called villous atrophy, making it difficult for the small intestine to absorb nutrients.

Some of the symptoms are extreme stomach discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, low attention span and fatigue. Severe issues can arise for the long term suffer, such as damage to the intestine and gut; leading to malabsorption of nutrients, causing extreme weight loss and the inability to gain weight. If nothing is done the condition can lead to cancer of the small bowel and small intestine; and loss of bone mineral density, among other complications.

If you or someone you know fits this description, you’ve probably been directed by your local grocer or doctor to the gluten free section; or been given a list of gluten free foods. It’s a great relief, I’m sure to be free from the symptoms you were experiencing when consuming foods with gluten.

There can be a downside to this gluten free lifestyle, however. That downside is found in the many gluten free branded products. Their are some quality items to be found with the gluten free label, but a lot of times, products labeled this way are super refined foods with all of the additives and preservatives found in the low quality foods so many people consume without thinking about it. Thinking in terms of eating gluten free is not the answer if you wish to achieve optimal health. There is an alternative way to understand your condition and get relief from the symptoms; and it’s simple.

There are only a few foods that contain gluten. They are Wheat, Barley, Rye, triticale, kamut (Khorasan wheat) and spelt. Triticale, kamut and spelt are forms of wheat, but they are not used in most commercially produced foods. The first key in dealing with gluten sensitivity is to eliminate these foods from your diet. Once you’ve done that you can eat whatever you want. There is a catch however. A great number of processed foods contain some form of these gluten containing grains in them. The answer to this issue is, first, become a label reader.

Read all of the ingredients on the packages of the foods you buy. This is a great practice because it makes you more aware of what you are eating. It’s truly amazing how many additives and preservatives there are in many of the conventional foods available at your local grocery store. Many of these ingredients are not health promoting and some are, straight up, bad for you.

Knowing what you’re eating is going to take you a long way, and that leads us right into the next step to help you on your path to optimal health. Become a primarily whole foods consumer. Yes, it’s true; Fruits, veggies; including those from the sea, nuts, seeds, beans and even grains are good for you. Quinoa, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, rice and oats have many health benefits. Eating plenty of your vegetables fresh and raw is a key component.

A lot of people are concerned about oats because of cross contamination. Oats don’t contain any gluten, but in conventional farming, the same equipment used to harvest wheat is often used to harvest oats. There are growers, who specifically grow for people with gluten sensitivities, so you can buy their products, without any concern.

You can help heal your gut by getting a good source of probiotics. Fermented foods are one of the best ways to get your probiotics. There are a number of good supplements available at quality health food stores, as well.

In your search for health, you’ll find more and more information supporting the fact that a plant based diet, with plenty of fresh raw foods, will help solve many of the issues with dis-ease; and put you on the path to optimal health.

For a person who’s ready to take responsibility for their health, the narrow world of prescriptions and special diets dissolves, and a broader horizon awaits. For the gluten intolerant or celiac, you are now free to eat anything you want except for foods containing wheat, barley, rye, kamut, and triticale. Everything else is naturally gluten free.